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Family & Children

Child Support

Establishing, modifying or enforcing child support. How guidelines work, what a child support lawyer does, and how to find one near you.

Every state calculates child support with a guideline formula based on income, number of children and sometimes parenting time — but “income” for a self-employed parent, deviations for special needs and arrears enforcement are where disputes arise. A child support lawyer makes sure the number is right and that orders are modified when life changes and enforced when payments stop.

What a child support lawyer does

  • Calculates guideline support and argues for or against deviations
  • Proves true income of self-employed or cash-paid parents
  • Files modifications after job loss, raises or custody changes
  • Enforces arrears through wage garnishment, liens, license suspension and contempt

When you need a child support lawyer

  • The other parent’s income is hidden or irregular
  • You lost your job or your income changed substantially
  • Payments have stopped or arrears are piling up
  • The state agency case is stalled or got the numbers wrong

Questions to ask before you hire a child support lawyer

  1. What counts as income under this state’s guidelines?
  2. Can we deviate for medical, school or travel costs?
  3. How quickly can a modification take effect?
  4. What are the fastest enforcement tools here?

Common questions

Can I stop paying support if I am denied visitation?

No. Support and visitation are separate obligations; withholding payment can lead to contempt. The remedy for denied visitation is an enforcement motion.

Find a child support lawyer near you

Choose your state to see listed firms and the official bar directory for verifying any lawyer’s license.